McShame (/mehk Sham/) – noun 1. A painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of eating fast food from McDonald’s.

Imagine this:

For the last three weeks, you’ve been traveling through India, devouring delicious, spicy curries from local restaurants for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day.

For the last two days, you haven’t been further than fifteen feet from your hotel room’s toilet bowl. You’ve been subsisting on a diet of bottled water, charcoal tablets, two crackers, and three packets of oral rehydration powder.

But you’re finally feeling much better – and you are STARVING. You break free from your hotel room and head out into the city, passing intriguing cafes with the rich, pungent aroma of curry wafting into the street.

But you can’t do spicy. You can’t do curry. Your stomach is in a very fragile state. You just want something plain to eat. Something that isn’t spicy AT ALL. Something that tastes good. Something familiar. Something… like French fries.

And then you see it up ahead on the street: the Golden Arches. The symbol of Western cultural hegemony, the scourge of obesity, and the source of infinite animal tears. McDonald’s.

You never eat at McDonald’s back home, or any other fast food restaurant for that matter. You are opposed to everything that this company represents. You don’t want to be THAT American. But… French fries…

You remember them from childhood. Glistening with grease and salt. Steamy hot. Starchy goodness. You glance over your shoulder for the healthy living police, and head toward the doors with your head down. Just a small order of French fries, you think. Just to tie me over until I find something better.

Two large orders of French fries later, a McChicken burger, and hot fudge sundae –- you slink back out the door covered in a thick, heavy layer of McShame.

Is Eating Fast Food Hypocritical?

Not eating fast food is a badge of honor for many advocates and adherents of healthy living. It’s right up there with not owning a TV. Eating at fast food outlets, particularly McDonald’s, seems to contradict the very ethos of conscious living – which can lead to an intense feeling of McShame for those who indulge.

Would you face the McShame that comes with supersizing your Maharaja Burger? Or would you stick to your healthy eating morals and eat the raw almonds stashed in your bag for dinner?

What would you do if you were in a similar situation in a far-off land? When you travel outside your comfort zone and find that eating a gluten-free/vegan/raw/specialty diet is almost impossible where you are?

The fact is: specialty diets are a luxury, not a measure of one’s worth. And stressing over every bite of food that you put in your mouth is far worse for your health than consuming the occasional fast food burger. Really.

Order something weird and try something new – like the Maharaja chicken sandwich, paneer burger, or potato burger. Does it taste horrible? Just remember: the worst travel experiences make the best travel stories.

Soak in the atmosphere. How is this McDonald’s different than ones you’ve seen in your own country – and how is it the same? Check out at the menu, the ads, and the people around you.

Go vegetarian. You won’t worry so much about how the animals are treated in a country with different regulations than your own.

Opt for a meal of French fries and an ice cream sundae. You’re already eating fast food; might as well go all the way. You know. Moderation.

Plant a tree when you get home – an all-purpose way to assuage non-conscious living guilt and feelings of McShame.

Whatever You Do, Don’t Judge – Yourself or Others

Travel puts into question choices that are easy to make in America but are a luxury in the rest of the world. We can choose not to eat meat and we won’t starve. We can choose not to wear wool and we won’t freeze. We can choose not to follow a religion and we won’t be stoned by our community. Not everyone in the world is so lucky.

Our individual choices are a reflection not just of our personal desires, but also of our geography. We should never judge another from the lofty viewpoint at the top that the luck of being born in America has afforded us.

]]>You’re Definitely Going to Reconsider that Cup of McDonald’s Coffeehttp://www.organicauthority.com/youre-definitely-going-to-reconsider-that-cup-of-mcdonalds-coffee/
Wed, 05 Oct 2016 17:06:33 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=52909McDonald’s Corp. says that by 2020, all of the coffee served in its more than 14,000 U.S. locations will come from “sustainable” sources—a move in line with other recent efforts by the chain to appeal to consumers’ growing concerns over its ingredients. In recent months the chain has made notable efforts to revamp its image […]

]]>McDonald’s Corp. says that by 2020, all of the coffee served in its more than 14,000 U.S. locations will come from “sustainable” sources—a move in line with other recent efforts by the chain to appeal to consumers’ growing concerns over its ingredients.

In recent months the chain has made notable efforts to revamp its image and its offerings including a plan to switch to using only cage-free eggs by 2025, the removal of artificial preservatives from menu staples including Chicken McNuggets, and the addition of healthier menu items including kale salads.

“Our customers want to see where are products come from, what’s in it and how it’s made,” Townsend Bailey, head of supply-chain sustainability for Oak Brook-based McDonald’s told Crain’s.

The coffee announcement comes via a partnership with environmental organization Conservation International in an effort to protect the threatened coffee industry from the ravages of climate change, among other dangers.

Conservation International worked with Starbucks to develop similar sustainability practices—the chain says 99 percent of its coffee was ethically sourced in 2015.

The move is also an effort to ensure a steady supply of coffee for McDonald’s from countries including Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Peru.

“With changing dynamics in coffee with climate change, it’s really an important topic to make sure we are engaging farmers and helping them,” says Bailey.

And the efforts are an investment for the chain, reports Crain’s. While McDonald’s hasn’t disclosed the cost to make the switch, the company reportedly spent nearly $7 million recently to train Guatemalan farmers in handling coffee diseases and weather-related challenges.

“It is something that we are investing a lot in,” Bailey said. “It’s not cheap to have engagement at this scale.”

]]>Panera Kids’ Menu Gets a Healthy Makeover, Ditches Toy and Game ‘Distractions’http://www.organicauthority.com/panera-kids-menu-gets-a-healthy-makeover/
Fri, 12 Aug 2016 14:12:01 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=50857Panera Bread announced Thursday that it will be removing additives and extra sweeteners from its kids’ menu beginning next month. “Toy-shaped food” will also be booted from the new Panera kids’ menu. “Frankly, the typical restaurant industry kids meal doesn’t serve our kids well,” Panera chairman and CEO Ron Shaich said in a statement. “We shouldn’t be marketing to […]

Panera Bread announced Thursday that it will be removing additives and extra sweeteners from its kids’ menu beginning next month. “Toy-shaped food” will also be booted from the new Panera kids’ menu.

“Frankly, the typical restaurant industry kids meal doesn’t serve our kids well,” Panera chairman and CEO Ron Shaich said in a statement. “We shouldn’t be marketing to kids. Toys and games distract from honest food choices. They come with poor options like fries and sugary beverages. This is not food as it should be.”

The new Panera kids’ menu will feature water as the default beverage option, with organic milk and juice as add-on options. The company claims that it will discourage children from opting for soda instead of one of these healthier drink options. New Panera kids’ menu sides will include organic yogurt, apples, and sprouted-grain rolls.

Soon after making the announcement, Panera pointed fingers at competitors such as McDonald’s, which promised earlier this month to remove artificial preservatives from its McNuggets but has yet to do so and also continues to serve fries with its Happy Meals, albeit in smaller portions as before.

“I was offended watching this [McDonald’s] commercial during the Olympics about the preservative-free McNuggets. I thought ‘you’ve got to be kidding,'” Shaich told Business Insider. “Sure, you’ve got McNuggets that are preservative-free, but what are you dipping them in? Sauces that are filled with that stuff!”

Shaich alleges that Panera’s decision to completely overhaul its menu is more helpful than changing just one or two items on the menu, something that the CEO asserts competing fast food chains have done.

“If you’re taking one single ingredient and trying to use that to create a halo across your menu, that seems inauthentic to us and confusing to people,” Shaich told Bloomberg. “We’re paying the price to do it right. If you want the halo without doing it right, that’s wrong.”

This move is part of the chain’s announcement last year that it would be removing over 150 artificial ingredients from its menu options by the end of 2016. The company remains on-track to achieve this goal, according to recent reports.

]]>Is McDonald’s Healthy Menu Just a Marketing Ruse?http://www.organicauthority.com/is-mcdonalds-healthy-menu-just-a-marketing-ruse/
Fri, 12 Aug 2016 10:00:33 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=50406After several tough years, McDonald’s claims to be making big changes to its image, with a complete 180 from fatty, greasy fast food to healthier, more nutritious menu offerings. In a recent interview with Business Insider, McDonald’s chef Jessica Foust, a registered dietitian and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, claimed that McDonald’s healthy menu […]

After several tough years, McDonald’s claims to be making big changes to its image, with a complete 180 from fatty, greasy fast food to healthier, more nutritious menu offerings.

In a recent interview with Business Insider, McDonald’s chef Jessica Foust, a registered dietitian and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, claimed that McDonald’s healthy menu was becoming more central to the chain’s M.O. And while McDonald’s is still far from the healthiest choice out there, several of its menu changes are actually shaping up to be fairly interesting.

McDonald’s Healthy Menu Allows the Idea of “Healthy” to Evolve

Consumers’ ideas of what healthy is have evolved over the years, and as McDonald’s continues to propose healthier options, the corporation is following suit. Its salad blends, for example, recently changed to include red leaf lettuce and carrot curls, more healthy than the iceberg lettuce salads of menus past.

“They didn’t feel iceberg lettuce was a nutritious green, and they didn’t feel good about eating it in a salad,” Foust told Business Insider.

This follows in line with the current idea that healthy isn’t just an absence of things like calories, fat, and sodium, but the actual presence of nutritious vitamins and minerals, found in dark, leafy greens and vegetables.

Another way in which McDonald’s is following current health trends is by swapping in real or more natural ingredients whenever possible.

“One of the thing that our team is most proud of recently is our transition to butter,” says Foust. In October 2015, McDonald’s switched from margarine to butter for its McMuffins and quickly doubled sales, showing that these changes are also garnering support with consumers.

One of the most recent healthful changes that McDonald’s was announced earlier this week: the removal of high-fructose corn syrup from its burger buns and artificial preservatives from several of its menu options, in line with choices made this year by Nestlé Dreyer’s ice cream, Mars, Inc., and Papa John’s.

McDonald’s Keeps Kids’ Health in Mind

One of the first additions to McDonald’s healthy menu was the choice of apples instead of fries with kids’ menus in 2004. The issue, however, was that no one was choosing apples – not because parents didn’t think it was a good idea, but because they didn’t want to convince their kids it was.

“What we had learned from our customers was that they didn’t want to have to fight with their kids about choosing apples or fries,” says Foust. In 2011, McDonald’s changed the offering, including both apples and a smaller portion of fries in every Happy Meal.

These smaller changes seem to show that McDonald’s really wants to make a difference in the lives of its consumers, and that the McDonald’s healthy menu isn’t a pure marketing ruse.

According to a Forbes analysis, McDonald’s would be better off having two menus, allowing customers to choose between an unhealthier value menu and a pricier healthy menu. This would allow McDonald’s to retain its image of a “value chain” while also appealing to those who are in favor of healthier options.

By choosing instead to allow all consumers access to healthier options, the McDonald’s healthy menu makeover seems to be genuine, and a definite step in the right direction for the chain.

]]>Would You Like Unlimited Fries with That? McDonald’s Launches Desperate Offerhttp://www.organicauthority.com/McDonald%27s-Launches-Desperate-Offer
Wed, 20 Apr 2016 07:00:31 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=44799A new 6,500 square foot “McDonald’s of the future” will open in Missouri in July, boasting self-service kiosks, play spaces for kids, and unlimited French fries. These offerings are just some of the ways in which owner Chris Habinger hopes to attract customers to the McDonald’s franchise amidst declining sales for the restaurant chain. Habinger, who […]

A new 6,500 square foot “McDonald’s of the future” will open in Missouri in July, boasting self-service kiosks, play spaces for kids, and unlimited French fries. These offerings are just some of the ways in which owner Chris Habinger hopes to attract customers to the McDonald’s franchise amidst declining sales for the restaurant chain.

Habinger, who already owns seven McDonald’s franchise locations in the area with his wife, Kerri, has relied on a “customizable” theme with this newest restaurant, only one element of which is the option for unlimited French fries. Sandwiches and dessert options will also be customizable to fit each individual customer’s tastes and preferences. “There really are hundreds of different choices to build the burger of your dreams,” he told St. Joseph News.

The sandwiches will be customizable via kiosk.

This is part of Habinger’s plan to create an ambiance that he hopes will appeal to the modern diner. “Today’s customers seek a comfortable and inviting atmosphere,” he says. “So we’re committed to providing a modern look and feel to this restaurant.”

This will include table service once customers have placed their order, as well as more comfortable seating like couches and armchairs. The McDonald’s franchise will also feature a play space that Habinger described as “innovative,” with interactive light board tables and tabletop video games.

According to a building permit, the restaurant will cost an estimated $1.59 million to build.

As the fast food industry is quickly moving toward more natural, additive-free menus, like those found at Chipotle and Panera, or Taco Bell adding vegetarian options, and countless restaurants opting for antibiotic-free meats and cage-free eggs, this clear act of desperation can be seen as a response to declining sales within the McDonald’s restaurant brand. McDonald’s sales began falling in 2000, with a 10 percent drop reported last July. Numbers have slowly been increasing with the recent launch of all-day breakfast.

]]>Taco Bell’s Cage-Free Eggs Commitment to Happen…Fasthttp://www.organicauthority.com/taco-bells-cage-free-eggs-commitment-to-happen-fast/
Tue, 17 Nov 2015 10:00:17 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=39343Yum Brands’ Taco Bell may be late to the drive-thru window when it comes to making a commitment to using cage-free eggs—McDonald’s and Burger King have had commitments in place for years—but it’s going to be the first chain to actually do it. The company announced this week that by the end of 2016, all […]

Yum Brands’ Taco Bell may be late to the drive-thru window when it comes to making a commitment to using cage-free eggs—McDonald’s and Burger King have had commitments in place for years—but it’s going to be the first chain to actually do it.

The company announced this week that by the end of 2016, all of the U.S. Taco Bell locations will be using cage-free eggs—about 130 million eggs per year. Burger King set a 2017 deadline, and McDonald’s says it will take a full decade to complete its transition to 100 percent cage-free eggs. Starbucks and Panera have announced 2020 deadlines to make the shift.

“We are a brand that has our finger on the pulse of not only what appeals to our customers’ tastes but also the issues they care most about, and they tell us they want food that’s simple and easy to understand,” Brian Niccol, CEO, Taco Bell Corp. said in a statement on the company’s website. “Implementing this change at record pace underscores that we are always listening and responding to our customers, while doing what is right for our business.”

While Yum Brands says the company has been working on a Taco Bell strategy to move to cage-free eggs for some time, the animal welfare group Compassion in World Farming says a petition may have egged the chain on.

According to Compassion in World Farming, the group launched a change.org petition in Mid-October, asking Taco Bell to go cage-free.

“We are thrilled Taco Bell listened to the nearly 170,000 consumers who signed,” the group said in a statement.

“We commend Taco Bell for going completely cage-free in a little over a year,” Compassion in World Farming’s U.S. Food Business Manager Rachel Dreskin said in a statement. “ This is the first significant announcement they have made regarding animal welfare in the US. Taco Bell caters to a diverse customer base, and this announcement demonstrates that treating animals with respect is a value that is shared across the entire population.”

The move also earned praise from the Humane Society. “Taco Bell has catapulted itself ahead of other major restaurant chains. Switching to 100 percent cage-free eggs by the end of 2016 is a tremendous commitment that will quickly improve the lives of countless animals and further cement the future of egg production as being one without cages,” said Josh Balk, Senior Food Policy Director, The Humane Society of the United States.

Taco Bell also earned praise from its customers earlier this year when it announced a comprehensive vegetarian-friendly menu.

]]>McDonald’s Franchise Owners Say the ‘Final Days’ are Nearhttp://www.organicauthority.com/mcdonalds-franchise-owners-say-the-final-days-are-near/
Tue, 20 Oct 2015 11:00:03 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=38732Just what does the future of fast food look like? If McDonald’s franchise owners are right, it may be missing a pair of golden arches. According to a recent survey, a growing number of McDonald’s franchisees believe the fast food giant is in a “deep depression”, possibly facing its “final days” as the iconic all-American […]

Just what does the future of fast food look like? If McDonald’s franchise owners are right, it may be missing a pair of golden arches.

According to a recent survey, a growing number of McDonald’s franchisees believe the fast food giant is in a “deep depression”, possibly facing its “final days” as the iconic all-American burger and fries fast food chain.

“We are in the throes of a deep depression, and nothing is changing,” one franchisee wrote in response to the survey by Nomura analyst Mark Kalinowski. “Probably 30% of operators are insolvent.”

Kalinowski’s researchers interviewed 29 U.S. franchise owners of more than 200 U.S. McDonald’s restaurants for the survey.

“The CEO is sowing the seeds of our demise,” another franchisee wrote. “We are a quick-serve fast-food restaurant, not a fast casual like Five Guys or Chipotle. The system may be facing its final days.”

“More than a dozen franchisees expressed frustration with McDonald’s management, saying that CEO Steve Easterbrook’s turnaround plan — which includes initiatives like all-day breakfast and a shift to digital ordering kiosks — is a distraction from the core issues of McDonald’s, like food quality and customer service,” reports Business Insider.

Sales at McDonald’s restaurants have been on the steady decline over the past seven quarters, the company reports, and it’s the reason for marketing moves like its recent announcement of all-day breakfast.

“Several franchisees complained about all-day breakfast, saying that it has complicated kitchen operations and goes against Easterbrook’s repeated promises to simplify the menu,” Business Insider reports.

“The system is very lost at the moment,” one franchisee wrote. “Our menu boards are still bloated, and we are still trying to be too many things to too many people. … Things are broken from the franchisee perspective.”

“I have been in this business since the early 1970s,” one owner wrote, “but have not seen us this leaderless in all my time.”

In addition to multiple menu changes, McDonald’s has announced changes to its supply chain, including the removal of antibiotics from all of its chicken products.

]]>McDonald’s Introduces Its First Ever Organic Beef Hamburgerhttp://www.organicauthority.com/mcdonalds-introduces-its-first-ever-organic-beef-hamburger/
Mon, 28 Sep 2015 11:00:05 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=38290Starting this October, McDonald’s is launching its first ever hamburger made with organic beef. The new burger, named the “McB”, will appear in about 1,500 German and Austrian locations from October 1 to November 18. The new sandwich will come with a number of upscale (though not organic) accouterments including Edam cheese, Lollo Bionda lettuce, and a […]

Starting this October, McDonald’s is launching its first ever hamburger made with organic beef. The new burger, named the “McB”, will appear in about 1,500 German and Austrian locations from October 1 to November 18.

The new sandwich will come with a number of upscale (though not organic) accouterments including Edam cheese, Lollo Bionda lettuce, and a sunflower seed bun. Another burger, the “Long McB”, will also contain organic beef, along with arugula, cheese, red onion, tomato, and a spicy sauce.

McDonald’s is attempting to appease a more health conscious consumer to compete in the same space as healthier fast food giants like Chipotle, reports QUARTZ. The fast food chain often tests new brand ideas in smaller markets before introducing them across the board, so this could mean a new era of organic offerings—and quite possibly change the face of the organic beef industry.

That McDonald’s chose to offer organic beef burgers in Germany means both that the company sees potential for a demand for such an offering, and that the size of Germany’s organic beef output can meet McDonald’s purchasing needs. Though it’s growing at a rapid pace, currently, the U.S. organic beef market only accounts for about three percent of total meat production. If McDonald’s decided to introduce an organic burger in the U.S., the increased demand for organic beef would change the face of farming throughout North America.

This is similar to how the chain’s increased demand for cage-free eggs has the power to increase the output of cage-free eggs nationwide. The company uses a reported 2 billion shell and liquid eggs per year—or around 4 percent of the eggs produced in the U.S. Currently, less than 10 percent of eggs produced in the U.S. are cage-free, which is why the mega-food chain will need a decade for the shift, according to an article in The New York Times.

The chain has made a number of new moves to win back consumers. Recently, it announced that it’s committed to serving chicken raised without the use of medically important antibiotics, and will cut antibiotics in chicken from U.S. supply chains within the next two years.

]]>McDonald’s Announces It’s Making the Transition to Cage-Free Eggshttp://www.organicauthority.com/mcdonalds-announces-its-making-the-transition-to-cage-free-eggs/
Thu, 10 Sep 2015 11:00:06 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=37988McDonald’s has announced that it’s making the transition to cage-free eggs in the next 10 years. The move will cover its 16,000 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. The company uses a reported 2 billion shell and liquid eggs per year—or around 4 percent of the eggs produced in the U.S. Currently, less than 10 […]

McDonald’s has announced that it’s making the transition to cage-free eggs in the next 10 years. The move will cover its 16,000 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada.

The company uses a reported 2 billion shell and liquid eggs per year—or around 4 percent of the eggs produced in the U.S. Currently, less than 10 percent of eggs produced in the U.S. are cage-free, which is why the mega-food chain will need a decade for the shift, according to an article in The New York Times.

Eggs are big business for McDonald’s: The company uses one egg per Egg McMuffin, which is one of its most popular menu items, and believes it can mitigate the increased cost of cage-free eggs because of the scale of its purchases.

“We’re proud of the work we’re doing with farmers and suppliers to advance environmentally and socially conscious practices for the animals in our supply chain,” Marion Gross, senior vice president and Chief Supply Chain Officer of McDonald’s North America said in a statement. “This is a bold move and we’re confident in our ability to provide a quality, safe, and consistent supply.”

The move comes at a time when many barns that are still empty as a result of an avian flu epidemic can be transitioned to cage-free hen operations, according to The New York Times. Organic and cage-free eggs haven’t been hit as hard by the flu since the chickens aren’t caged together—so when one chicken gets sick, it doesn’t necessarily mean the whole flock will be infected.

What’s more, states like California have enacted laws that limit the way egg-producing hens can be housed. They must be able to stand up, lie down, turn around, and fully extend their wings. The 2008 legislation has led other states like Washington, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Oregon to consider similar legislation.

“Our customers are increasingly interested in knowing more about their food and where it comes from,” said McDonald’s USA President Mike Andres. “Our decision to source only cage-free eggs reinforces the focus we place on food quality and our menu to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations.”

]]>Want a Good-Bye With That? McDonald’s Closing Hundreds of Stores Amid Slumping Saleshttp://www.organicauthority.com/want-a-good-bye-with-that-mcdonalds-closing-hundreds-of-stores-amid-slumping-sales/
Thu, 30 Apr 2015 11:00:41 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=35480McDonald’s heyday as the King of fries and dollar burgers seems to be coming to an end. The fast food giant has already closed 350 stores this year—some in the U.S.—and more closings are anticipated throughout the year in an effort to boost profits by cutting losses. Another 350 stores are expected to close later […]

McDonald’s heyday as the King of fries and dollar burgers seems to be coming to an end. The fast food giant has already closed 350 stores this year—some in the U.S.—and more closings are anticipated throughout the year in an effort to boost profits by cutting losses.

Another 350 stores are expected to close later this year, mainly throughout the U.S. and Asia. And even though that may seem like a small dent in McDonald’s empire—the chain has more than 32,000 franchises worldwide—it’s a sign the restaurant chain is very concerned over its lagging sales.

The chain recently announced an 11 percent revenue decline and 30 percent profit-loss for the first quarter of 2015, “a continuation of its troubles in the last two years as it has struggled to compete with new U.S. competitors, a tough economy in Europe and a food safety scare in Asia,” reports TIME Magazine.

According to TIME, McDonald’s has been seeing sales drop particularly fast in China and Japan—once fast-growing locations as the chain brought it’s sought-after American food to the booming Asian economies—now two areas where underperforming stores have already been closed.

“I often describe McDonald’s as possibly the most democratic— with a small ‘d’—brand in the world,” McDonald’s CFO Kevin Ozan said in a phone call with reporters. “And what customers love the world over, and none more so than here in the U.S., is how they can buy into aspirational quality products, but at a McDonald’s price.”

McDonald’s isn’t voluntarily closing down its stores, either. Russia recently shuttered a few locations over what government officials said were health violations that “cast doubt” on the quality and safety of the chain’s food—a move that certainly impacted customers’ enthusiasm around the world.

McDonald’s has been in a tailspin panic mode for several years, attempting several bizarre strategies to boost its sales. During the last Super Bowl, it kicked off a campaign promising free food to customers—“Pay With Lovin’”–giving customers the opportunity to smile, call their moms or give someone a hug instead of paying for their meal.

The chain also slashed menu items, in what it said was an effort to “simplify” based on what generates the most sales.

It then took aim at “foodies” in a recent commercial, making fun of vegetarians, soy protein and even attacking the Holy Grail of healthy food: kale. Yet rumor has it McDonald’s may be launching a kale salad of its own to help boost its sales.

The company is expected to announce a “turnaround strategy” early next month. But even kale may not be enough to give the golden arches their sparkle back. As other fast food chains like Chipotle continue to deliver healthier fast food options, consumers aren’t as eager to give their money—or their hugs—to McDonald’s.

Tyson Foods, McDonald’s main supplier for chicken products, recently announced it was moving away from human-use antibiotics in its factories, mostly in part to McDonald’s plan to remove antibiotics from its chicken products. It’s a step in the right direction, one consumers are certainly concerned about, but the chain’s sales continue to decline even despite its commitments.

]]>McDonald’s To Start Sourcing rBST-Free Milk Productshttp://www.organicauthority.com/mcdonalds-to-start-sourcing-rbst-free-milk-products/
Wed, 11 Mar 2015 11:00:42 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=34491McDonald’s will begin sourcing some of its milk from cows not treated with the growth hormone recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST), including milk from McDonald’s Milk Jug lowfat milk and Milk Jug fat-free chocolate milk (both rBST-free milk products often appear in Happy Meals). Consumers have become wary of rBST, and for good reason. Even though […]

McDonald’s will begin sourcing some of its milk from cows not treated with the growth hormone recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST), including milk from McDonald’s Milk Jug lowfat milk and Milk Jug fat-free chocolate milk (both rBST-free milk products often appear in Happy Meals).

Consumers have become wary of rBST, and for good reason. Even though the FDA considers it safe for human consumption, the increased levels of insulin have been linked to cancer (though studies are inconclusive). The hormone, which is used to boost milk production in cows, has been used in U.S. dairy products for the past 20 years (though banned in Canada and Europe for both human and health concerns).

Cows treated with the hormone deal with significant health concerns including hoof and leg issues, udder infections, and reproductive problems. Residues from rBST can also cause allergic reactions and antibiotic resistant infections in humans, which is why more consumers are looking for rBST-free milk products.

“While no significant difference has been shown between milk derived from rBST-treated and non-rBST-treated cows, we understand this is something that is important to our customers,” said Marion Gross, senior vice president of McDonald’s North America Supply Chain.

This comes after McDonald’s said last week it would use chicken produced without the use of medically important antibiotics. According to their press release, “All of these actions are the latest steps in McDonald’s USA’s journey to evolve its menu to better meet the changing preferences and expectations of today’s customers.”

The mega-chain also announced last year it would be purchasing verified sustainable beef by 2016. McDonald’s is part of the newly formed United States Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB), which consists of 43 stakeholders along the beef supply chain including Walmart, Cargill, McDonald’s and Tyson Foods, as well as environmental groups such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Nature Conservancy.

“First off, it’s great that all these players are coming together and talking about solutions,” Jonathan Gelbard, sustainable livestock specialist with the National Resource Defense Council, told GreenBiz. “But if what they do is not credible and does not effectively address what the science clearly identifies, people are going to be watching.”

]]>McDonald’s to Cut Antibiotics in Chicken from its U.S. Supply Chainshttp://www.organicauthority.com/mcdonalds-to-cut-antibiotics-in-chicken-from-its-u-s-supply-chains/
Thu, 05 Mar 2015 12:00:27 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=34390McDonald’s has announced it’s committed to serving chicken raised without the use of medically important antibiotics, and will cut antibiotics in chicken from U.S. supply chains within the next two years. The new company CEO has already shown the importance of supplying healthier foods during his legacy in the company’s United Kingdom division, according to […]

McDonald’s has announced it’s committed to serving chicken raised without the use of medically important antibiotics, and will cut antibiotics in chicken from U.S. supply chains within the next two years. The new company CEO has already shown the importance of supplying healthier foods during his legacy in the company’s United Kingdom division, according to NRDC.

“McDonald’s believes that any animals that become ill deserve appropriate veterinary care and our suppliers will continue to treat poultry with prescribed antibiotics, and then they will no longer be included in our food supply,” said Marion Gross, senior vice president of McDonald’s North America Supply Chain.

Farmers will still be allowed to use ionophores, which is technically an antibiotic, but one that’s not important to human health. McDonald’s will verify its products using the USDA Process Verified Program.

“If fewer chickens get sick, then fewer chickens need to be treated with antibiotics that are important in human medicine. We believe this is an essential balance,” Gross added in a statement.

NRDC and other health advocates have long called for ending the industry’s reliance on these highly important medications. By investing in healthier, more responsibly produced chicken, the mega-chain hopes to revive lagging sales as consumers become more and more aware of the food they’re eating.

“Hopefully, chicken is just the start – the Big Mac and McRib may be next. McDonald’s ‘Global Vision’ statement acknowledges the need to curb antibiotics use across their pork and beef supply chains too,” says Jonathan Kaplan, director of NRDC’s Food and Agriculture program. “Unfortunately, the statement does not include a ban on the use of all medically-important antibiotics in routine disease prevention, a practice known to contribute to antibiotic resistance. We urge McDonald’s to close this loophole in their ‘Global Vision’ statement, and to apply their new U.S. chicken antibiotics curbs to all their restaurants globally.”

NRDC hopes the chain’s global leadership will convince other fast food giants to take similar steps toward providing a safer product in addition to reducing antibiotics in chicken. This week McDonald’s USA announced its newly formed U.S. Roundtable on Sustainable Beef, what they claim is the next critical step in sourcing more sustainably raised beef.

“We will continue to look at our food and menu to deliver the kind of great tasting and quality choices that our customers trust and enjoy,” said McDonald’s U.S President Mike Andres.

]]>McDonald’s Menu Shrinks While America’s Waistline Expandshttp://www.organicauthority.com/mcdonalds-menu-shrinks-while-americas-waistline-expands/
Wed, 17 Dec 2014 12:00:57 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=33022McDonald’s menu is getting a minimalist makeover of sorts. The fast food company has announced that it’s removing eight menu items and five “Extra Value Meals” from its lineup. The news comes after the company posted a 4.6 percent drop in its U.S. sales. Items being removed from the McDonald’s menu include the classic Quarter […]

McDonald’s menu is getting a minimalist makeover of sorts. The fast food company has announced that it’s removing eight menu items and five “Extra Value Meals” from its lineup. The news comes after the company posted a 4.6 percent drop in its U.S. sales.

Items being removed from the McDonald’s menu include the classic Quarter Pounder hamburger, simplifying its quarter pounder selections from four down to just one. Three chicken sandwiches drop to one. “Our intent is to have a clearer menu board that is easier for customers to absorb,” the company said in a statement. “The tests are designed to determine what works and what doesn’t within our restaurants by considering the operational experience, customer response, price points and other important information which may inform future decisions.”

According to Quartz.com, McDonald’s menu will also include “customized burgers” and ingredients along with cooking methods will be reviewed to determine whether or not the chain will continue to use them.

“I think the future suggests that we can continue to really simplify our base menu and we all recognize that 80% of our sales are coming from a very small subset of the menu,” McDonald’s US President Michael Andres said at an investor meeting, reports Quartz.

The ever-popular Dollar Menu might also get a makeover as its offerings have increased in recent years, but continue to undercut the other items on McDonald’s menu. “We are actually taking a pretty hard look at our pricing structure as we speak. Years of anchoring the menu around $1 price points, as commodities and labor costs have increased over the years, have probably caused us to disproportionately share those cost increases with some of our core menu items, creating a bigger disparity between the price of those and the prices of some of our entry-level value items,” CFO Steven Bensen said at Morgan Stanley retail conference last month.

That may or may not be good news for McDonald’s employees who’ve been protesting, walking off the job, and demanding wage increases recently.

And for millions of Americans who still eat fast food, a leaner McDonald’s menu should mean fewer options that promote health issues like obesity and diabetes, but it’s not likely. The company plans to stick with well-established “favorites” including the Big Mac, french fries and those sugary soft drinks.

]]>McDonald’s New Transparency Campaign Clouded with Controversyhttp://www.organicauthority.com/mcdonalds-new-transparency-campaign-clouded-with-controversy/
Wed, 15 Oct 2014 11:00:15 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=31905McDonald’s has announced the launch of a new campaign “Our Food, Your Questions” in an effort to increase transparency and trust with its customers. As the fast food industry, and McDonald’s sales in particular, are up against a growing interest in healthier fare, the company is releasing behind-the-scenes video clips and infographics about the production […]

McDonald’s has announced the launch of a new campaign “Our Food, Your Questions” in an effort to increase transparency and trust with its customers.

As the fast food industry, and McDonald’s sales in particular, are up against a growing interest in healthier fare, the company is releasing behind-the-scenes video clips and infographics about the production of its menu items like the McRib and McNuggets.

“Showing the public how the sausage is made may win favor with some consumers, but a better strategy for the fast food giant would be to make truly meaningful commitments to sustainability,” Naomi Starkman of Civil Eats wrote in Time.

Former “MythBusters” co-host Grant Imahara is featured in several videos busting McDonald’s “myths,” while taking the millions of customers behind the scenes for the first time in the chain’s history.

The chain is answering questions about hormones in meat (yes the company uses them because it’s “standard practice”), GMOs in the supply chain (which are likely in the animal feed because 90 percent of corn and soy in the U.S. are GMO) and “pink slime”, (which the company says it no longer uses). Issues like battery cages for egg-laying hens have yet to be addressed, and “because the company’s supply chain is so long, and it sources raw ingredients from such a wide array of locations and facilities, it would be impossible for any one tour, vignette, or infographic to show more than a sliver of what goes on at the farm, factory, and processing levels,” explains Starkman.

Putting a glossy marketing spin on select images of farming and production are earning the McDonald’s campaign a lot of criticism, and “while it’s angling for the farm-to-table crowd, as the world’s largest buyer of beef and pork with hamburgers for as low as one dollar, McDonald’s current practices will probably still be considered factory-farm-to-table,” Starkman notes.

The campaign hints at tactics used by Chipotle, the Mexican-inspired fast casual chain that was the first to announce all of the GMOs in its products (which it has since removed), as well as brandish its commitments to sourcing local produce, nitrite-free meats and grass-fed dairy products. But Chipotle also operates a tiny fraction of locations compared to McDonald’s, and while it’s still fast food, it’s notably healthier fare than McDonald’s menu items. “Most people simply don’t think of McDonald’s as a healthy place to eat, despite its efforts to offer more menu choices,” says Starkman. Add to that its “insidious marketing of fast foods to kids” and the recent protests and walk-outs over wages “hasn’t won it any points either.”

]]>‘Fast Food’ or ‘Good Food Served Fast’? McDonald’s Tries an Image Changehttp://www.organicauthority.com/fast-food-or-good-food-served-fast-mcdonalds-tries-an-image-change/
Mon, 25 Aug 2014 07:00:09 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=30948In the day and age of food blogging, it’s quite common for food brands and restaurants to host events. Even McDonald’s. Last fall, the number one fast food chain hosted an event for reporters and bloggers, and not an evening full of your average Big Macs and McFlurries. No, this was an evening of food made […]

In the day and age of food blogging, it’s quite common for food brands and restaurants to host events. Even McDonald’s.

Last fall, the number one fast food chain hosted an event for reporters and bloggers, and not an evening full of your average Big Macs and McFlurries. No, this was an evening of food made by celebrity chefs using ingredients from the McDonald’s menu. Chicken McNuggets doused in sweet and sour sauce and topped with parsley anyone?

According to the AP, for dessert guests were presented with a biscuit-doughnut hybrid, made with McDonald’s biscuit mix and pumpkin spice. Hosted in Tribeca, the evening was billed as “A transforming dining experience of ‘fast food’ to ‘good food served fast.'” Just last month there was a similar event in New Orleans, where “Beignets filled with grilled chicken and dusted with sugar were served alongside a packet of McDonald’s honey mustard sauce.” Um, gross?

As McDonald’s continues to face an image problem, both in the U.S .and abroad (Chicken MgNuggets were recently banned in Hong Kong, and Russia is working hard at also banning certain menu items), it’s doing what it can to make sure that it doesn’t lose an economic foothold, because customers have come to equate low prices with low quality.

“We’ve got to make sure that the food is relevant and that the awareness around McDonald’s as a kitchen and a restaurant that cooks and prepares fresh, high quality food is strong and pronounced,” CEO Don Thompson said early this year.

Would we really call McDonald’s food “high quality” though? That seems like quite the stretch.

While serving more salads and fresher ingredients might be a good PR stunt, when it comes down to it, people aren’t going to McDonald’s for health food. Salads for example make up about 2 to 3 percent of U.S. sales at the fast food chain. So while changing the menu might be good for the image, it doesn’t necessarily change people’s eating habits.

Apparently there are more PR stunts to come, with “chef events” like one recently hosted in Houston.

“Tonight is about displaying the fact that we have good food, good people and we are a good neighbor in the community as well as showcasing that our product is about great quality. Ninety-percent of our 35,000 restaurants worldwide and 15,000 in the U.S. are owned by owner/operators and that is where the good neighbor piece comes in,” said Victoria Guster-Hines, vice president of operations for McDonald’s in Houston, the night of the recent event.

Good food, good people, good neighbors? Not really the line I would use to describe McDonald’s, but hey, the more PR dollars they throw at it, the more people might start to believe it.

]]>Violations at McDonald’s in Russia ‘Cast Doubt on the Quality and Safety’ of the Foodhttp://www.organicauthority.com/violations-at-mcdonalds-in-russia-cast-doubt-on-the-quality-and-safety-of-the-food/
Wed, 20 Aug 2014 08:00:25 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=30893McDonald’s in Russia, once a sign of progress for the former Soviet Union, is now in jeopardy of being kicked out of the country. After announcing earlier this month that it was banning major food imports from countries including the U.S. for one year over economic sanctions, Russia has also recently announced plans to seek bans on […]

McDonald’s in Russia, once a sign of progress for the former Soviet Union, is now in jeopardy of being kicked out of the country.

After announcing earlier this month that it was banning major food imports from countries including the U.S. for one year over economic sanctions, Russia has also recently announced plans to seek bans on some McDonald’s meals over several health violations.

Now, Russia’s sanitary service called Rospotrebnadzor, has filed a lawsuit against the chain, petitioning for a ban on popular McDonald’s meals including cheeseburgers, filet-o-fish and chicken burgers. The chain has more than 350 locations in Russia.

According to Global Meat News, Rospotrebnadzor’s head and chief state sanitary doctor Anna Popova said in a statement that the agency has revealed violations “which cast doubt on the quality and safety of food products throughout the whole McDonald’s network,” adding that “safety and energy value indicators of these products are not adequate. They are far from necessary standards.”

USA Today reports that the menu items in question contained more fats and carbohydrates than national regulations permit—some were two to three times higher than the allowed limits. Testing also revealed high microbial counts in some of the food sampled.

A ban on the McDonald’s meals named in the lawsuit could cost the chain 40 percent of its Russian revenue—more than $550 million per year, reports Global Meat News. And some experts are confident that the violations could have enough merit to ban the entire fast food chain from the country altogether.

Russia is apparently also targeting other fast food chains including Burger King and KFC for similar concerns over quality.

But there may be more to the story. Back in April, the Washington Post noted that McDonald’s said it would close its Crimean locations amidst the conflict with Ukraine. Vladimir Zhirinovsky, leader of the Liberal Democrat Party, then suggested that the chain just shutter all McDonald’s in Russia, and a poll found that 62 percent of the population agreed.

“It’s a sad state of affairs for the burger chain, whose first restaurant in Russia opened in happier times more than two decades ago in Moscow,” reported the Post. “The apparent success of the ‘golden arches’ in the country was taken by many as a barometer of Russian westernization.”

But Russia seems to have another vision these days. It has called for a ban on GMOs and urged the UN to create an international watchdog agency to police GMOs. Officials have also said that the country has enough land to grow all of its own organic food, which its recent position towards imports would indicate may soon become a reality. Seems like too much westernization is a lot like a McDonald’s cheeseburger: you want it really bad until you actually eat it.

]]>McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets in Asia are Getting Way Weirder Than You Can Imaginehttp://www.organicauthority.com/mcdonalds-chicken-mcnuggets-in-asia-are-getting-way-weirder-than-you-can-imagine/
Tue, 05 Aug 2014 07:00:26 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=30613Oh chicken McNuggets. Those things that we’re not really sure if there’s real chicken in them or not. Ok, so there is “white boneless chicken” in them, but with the amount of ingredients added to that, you are hard pressed to say that you’re eating chicken. In Hong Kong however you can’t even get chicken […]

Oh chicken McNuggets. Those things that we’re not really sure if there’s real chicken in them or not. Ok, so there is “white boneless chicken” in them, but with the amount of ingredients added to that, you are hard pressed to say that you’re eating chicken.

In Hong Kong however you can’t even get chicken McNuggets right now since the local McDonald’s has stopped selling them on account of a food safety scare at Shanghai Husi Food, where it imports some of its products. Not only that, they’ve axed McSpicy chicken filets, chicken and green salads, fresh corn cups and iced lemon tea as well.

McDonald’s would like to remind everyone that until the day they pulled McNuggets and all the other products, “all the food sold at McDonald’s restaurants conform to the food safety standard under Hong Kong legal regulations.” And the marketing team at McDonald’s would be smart to tell its customers that its food is safe; China happens to be McDonald’s third-biggest market.

Meanwhile in Japan, McDonald’s is offering up tofu nuggets; or at least a chicken-like nugget that’s made with soybean, carrots and minced fish. So wait, not even vegetarian? Just chicken-free. Minus the carrots and minced fish, it sounds surprisingly like fried tofu. Honestly if you’re going to serve fried tofu, I am positive that there are so many better places to get it in Japan than McDonald’s. But hey, maybe they’re tasty dipped in milkshakes?

Which brings us to the question? What exactly is in a chicken McNugget? You can watch this video, in which McDonald’s Canada walks you through the McNugget making process, and while it’s an attempt at calming fears that the nuggets were made from”pink goop,” it’s still pretty gross. McNuggets are only 50 percent meat at best, the rest of it is preservatives and a bunch of other tasty things you’d probably never pick off of a grocery store shelf, if those things were in fact sold at a grocery store.

So maybe the chicken McNugget ban in Hong Kong is a good thing. But you know what would be even better? A straight up McDonald’s ban.

]]>The 7 Worst Fast Food Breakfast Optionshttp://www.organicauthority.com/the-7-worst-fast-food-breakfast-options/
Mon, 09 Jun 2014 08:00:19 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=29730For many years the only place serving up fast food breakfast was McDonalds. But then everyone got into the breakfast sandwiches and bad coffee game, and what was once a holy meal to be consumed at home, was now being stuffed and guzzled during a quick drive to work. If you can take one rule of […]

For many years the only place serving up fast food breakfast was McDonalds. But then everyone got into the breakfast sandwiches and bad coffee game, and what was once a holy meal to be consumed at home, was now being stuffed and guzzled during a quick drive to work. If you can take one rule of thumb into your life regarding fast food and breakfast, it’s this: don’t eat fast food breakfast. (As a matter of fact, you probably shouldn’t eat at fast food restaurants at all.)

Here are the 7 very worst fast food breakfast options to avoid at all costs:

1. Taco Bell

Waffle tacos and breakfast sodas are the name of the game at Taco Bell. With sausage and syrup, those waffle tacos weigh in at around 460 calories. If the waffle is too much for you, there’s always the A.M. Crunchwrap, a delectable concoction of scrambled eggs, a hash brown, cheese and bacon, sausage or steak in a flour tortilla. Breakfast burrito or breakfast nightmare? As a fast food restaurant that has been sued for using mystery ingredients, there’s one takeaway here: avoid, avoid, avoid.

2. Burger King

Not only is the breakfast menu bad – no one ever needs a Croissan’wich, much less a Double Croissan’wich – but it was recently announced that Burger King was about to expand its offerings. But not by adding new breakfast items. Nope, just by encouraging diners to eat “Burgers at Breakfast”. Nothing says good morning like a double bacon cheeseburger.

3. Carl’s Jr.

While Burger King wants you to just eat their normal burgers for breakfast, Carl’s Jr. actually has an “official” Breakfast Burger. A burger topped with egg, bacon, American cheese, and hasbrown nuggets (yup, they’re actually in the burger), the breakfast item comes in at 800 calories. That is sure to wake you up (before knocking you on your ass).

4. Chick-fil-A

Because fried chicken is certainly part of a complete breakfast, Chick-fil-A offers up Chick-n-Minis, bite sized nuggets nestled into buttery rolls, which the fast food chain has kindly slathered in honey butter for you. Yet another reason the World Health Organization wants nations to regulate their fast food chains in order to fight obesity.

5. Jack in the Box

If you’re working in the world of fast food restaurants, you have to find ways to outdo the competition. What’s the best way to do that in the breakfast sandwich world? Get rid of the bun. The Jack in the Box Waffle Breakfast Sandwich is exactly that, made with two waffles that have been doused in maple syrup to ensure that you get that real breakfast taste.

6. Dunkin’ Donuts

What’s more classic than donuts and coffee for a quick breakfast? I’ll tell you what: a Glazed Donut Breakfast Sandwich. Yes, it’s a glazed donut stuffed with eggs and bacon, the things that breakfast dreams are made of. If only they could make it on a maple bar.

7. McDonald’s

The Egg McMuffin is the least of our worries on the McDonald’s breakfast menu. Here you can get everything from cinnamon melts (cinnamon rolls in a plastic bowl doused with glaze) to a Sausage, Egg and Cheese McGriddle, which comes in at about the same calorie count as a Big Mac.

]]>The New McDonald’s Happy Meal Mascot May be ‘Happy’ but He’s Freaking Everyone Outhttp://www.organicauthority.com/the-new-mcdonalds-happy-meal-mascot-may-be-happy-but-hes-freaking-everyone-out/
Wed, 21 May 2014 07:00:31 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=29464If it’s not evident that fast food chains like McDonald’s are struggling to stay relevant, particularly to the youth market, meet Happy, the new McDonald’s Happy Meal mascot. Happy was introduced on Monday in a tweet as McDonald’s “newest friend.” But unlike Ronald McDonald, the clown mascot for the chain since 1963, Happy is not […]

If it’s not evident that fast food chains like McDonald’s are struggling to stay relevant, particularly to the youth market, meet Happy, the new McDonald’s Happy Meal mascot.

Happy was introduced on Monday in a tweet as McDonald’s “newest friend.” But unlike Ronald McDonald, the clown mascot for the chain since 1963, Happy is not a person, but is instead an animated red McDonald’s Happy Meal shaped box with large teeth, eyes, hands and feet. And it’s causing quite a stir.

The Los Angeles Times reports that the criticisms have not been kind to Happy: “some Twitter users weren’t so friendly, responding with gems such as: ‘I didn’t want to sleep tonight.’ Another user wrote: ‘That is not right with God’.”

The simplicity of the design is also receiving its share of criticism: “Someone stuck a mouth on the box. How many years was this in development?”

McDonald’s rebuffed the backlash in a statement, saying, “social media is a great place to have a conversation and express an opinion, but not all comments reflect the broader view.”

The leading fast food chain also recently launched a “healthier” option for its Happy Meals, Go-GURT Low-Fat Strawberry Yogurt. “The potential french fry swap has 50 calories in a serving and, according to the press release, 25 percent less sugar than other popular yogurt brands. The actual amount of sugar, however, is conspicuously missing,” wrote Blackmore. “[L]ike its creepy new mascot,” he said, it doesn’t “smack of a marketing plan that’s going to be a blockbuster hit.”

]]>‘Field to Market’ Program is Not Sustainable: It’s Big Ag’s Latest Liehttp://www.organicauthority.com/field-to-market-program-is-not-sustainable-its-big-ags-latest-lie/
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 08:00:08 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=27069For those individuals interested in healthy living and a healthier planet, ears perk up at words like “sustainable agriculture.” A program named “Field to Market” conjures visions of a local food economy—small-scale bucolic farming in truly sustainable fashion—not corporations posturing towards global processed food empires. But that’s exactly what the program is. In a glossy […]

For those individuals interested in healthy living and a healthier planet, ears perk up at words like “sustainable agriculture.” A program named “Field to Market” conjures visions of a local food economy—small-scale bucolic farming in truly sustainable fashion—not corporations posturing towards global processed food empires. But that’s exactly what the program is.

In a glossy promo video on the group’s website, Field to Market claims it’s creating a dialogue that’s “defining and measuring sustainability” in the food, fuel and fiber chain so that it can help to feed and clothe the billions of people on the planet. “[F]armers learn more about improving crop production and natural resource management inside the farm gate,” the website states. “Working together through on-the-ground fieldprint projects, growers and members of the food, fiber and fuel system are helping to tell the story of sustainable production and to promote continuous improvement.”

But with a roster of Field to Market member corporations that reads like a list of defendants in recent class action lawsuits for misappropriation of words like “natural,” the claims seem suspect. Kellogg, General Mills, Walmart, Monsanto, Land O’Lakes, McDonald’s, Syngenta and Coca-Cola are just some of the corporations partnering with the World Wildlife Fund, Environmental Defense Fund and the Nature Conservancy on Field to Market programs claiming to be aimed at conserving natural resources and employing state-of-the-art technologies.

We have to question though whether or not corporations on these scales can actually transform agriculture into something healthy for the planet, even with the help of groups like the Nature Conservancy. The pesticide- and herbicide-intensive crops that members Monsanto, Bayer CropScience, BASF, Dow AgroSciences and Syngenta promote are the converse of sustainability. Glyphosate (Monsanto’s Roundup) and now 2,4-D—an Agent Orange component being used to treat weeds resistant to glyphosate—are environmental hazards connected with resistant weeds and insects as well as with severe human health risks. No matter how much a company claims its working towards sustainability, if it’s still pushing toxic chemicals into our food, soil and water, sustainability is being abandoned.

Genetically modified seeds also come at an expense to farmers as a result of the high cost of paying for the seeds each season (as opposed to the age-old practice of seed-saving), and in the maintenance of pests and weeds that the companion chemicals are failing to terminate. An errant GMO seed drifting from a neighbor’s crop or coming through a grain elevator can spell lawsuits from companies like Monsanto, putting small farmers out of business.

Sure, these GMO crops may fit into to the loose “field to market” definition—what food doesn’t?—but it’s hardly a vision of sustainable agriculture.

On the finished product side, member Land O’Lakes was recently targeted for egregious animal abuse by one of its suppliers—practices not uncommon in factory farms where animals live in unthinkably horrid conditions. And despite being a member of a program where “field” is the very first word, the sad truth is Land O’Lakes dairy cows never see fields or even open air. Their field is cement muddied by their own feces while they’re shackled to mechanical milking machines.

While Field to Market member General Mills recently made the somewhat shocking announcement that it was removing GMOs from its original flavor Cheerios, the majority of the brand’s products—including the rest of the Cheerios line—contain heavily refined GMO grains, sugars and oils, crops that are frequently recipients of government subsidies, while healthier crops face challenges and no handouts.

Kellogg’s public image issues include its “natural” Kashi brand caught containing GMOs; a lawsuit in which the company agreed to pay $2.5 million over falsely advertising its Rice Krispies and Cocoa Krispies cereals as supporting the immune system, even though the company lacked scientific evidence for the claims; and another settlement came over claims that its Frosted Mini Wheats cereal will make your kids smarter.

Coca-Cola is also a member of the program. You know what’s really sustainable agriculture, Coke? Not growing corn to turn it into a sweetener linked with obesity and childhood diabetes.

Member McDonald’s just announced plans to switch to “sustainable” beef by 2016, even though there are no regulated definitions for the term.

And that further illustrates the point. “Field to Market” is a collaboration based on practices that don’t really exist—not in a regulated sense, anyway. But with a name like “Field to Market” and claims like “continuous improvements in productivity, environmental quality, and human well-being,” consumers are once again being swayed by marketing ploys and tactics put forth by industries only interested in increasing bottom line and market expansion.

Just as we’ve learned to be cautious around terms like “all natural” consumers now must look beyond the names of industry trade groups like the Field to Market program. We need to look closer to home—to local growers and producers whose sustainability efforts are obvious. We need to seek out and support those producers who truly can transform our world’s fields by not trying to dominate all of them. Those invested in meticulously caring for a small piece of land for producing food, fuel or fiber—those are the farmers vested in our future. Those are the farmers who know what the real field to market journey looks like. It’s a painstaking one, but when done right, it doesn’t need big fancy promo videos, namedropping collaborations or awards. Healthy land, food and communities are reward enough.